GTR begins replacing CCST with paper roll tickets.

[stadler]

GTR has begun being infested with those horrid loo roll (9799) tickets. One of my nearby Southern stations got theirs delivered yesterday and have started using them this morning. I have been told that all GTR stations have got them in the past week and have all starting using them or will be in the next couple days if they have not already. Apparently the OBSs and Guards will be getting them at some point soon too.

All tickets other than Travelcards and cross London tickets are issued on loo roll stock now. So if you buy your ticket from a GTR station then make sure to use the TVM or specifically ask the clerk for CCST if you want a proper ticket. Otherwise you will be stuck with a horrid paper roll ticket.

These tickets really are horrible. They get creased and crumpled and in poor condition so quickly. You put it in your pocket and it just gets in such bad condition before long. With a CCST ticket it keeps in such good condition.

It is such a shame as GTR were one of the last TOCs not to have started using loo roll. It is such a massive downgrade. GTR along with Southeastern and London Overground and Elizabeth Line were the only four left and now it is just three. I wonder if Southeastern are starting to use paper roll tickets soon. I presume as GTR is it means a switch there is likely to happen at some point too.

 

[Bungle965]

specifically ask the clerk for CCST if you want a proper ticket.

I didn't think Worldline MTIS gave you an option, if it was PRT enabled it would be printed like that.
Unless the clerk unplugged the PRT printer presumably!

 

[stadler]

I didn't think Worldline MTIS gave you an option, if it was PRT enabled it would be printed like that.
Unless the clerk unplugged the PRT printer presumably!

Oh maybe not. I do not ask the clerk if it was possible. But i just presumed as i know some other TOCs will give you a CCST if you ask the clerk. Maybe it is only the other systems (either Fujitsu or TTK i think) that can.

 

[transportphoto]

I could be completely making this up, however I believe that all TOCs have pressure to hit targets for percentage of tickets sold being “digital”. In the loosest terms I understand paper roll ticket with an Aztec code meets that specification.

 

[Hadders]

Old news as the rest of the country all but switched over years ago!

While I like a CCST I'm not going to lose sleep over this, if anything I'll be more likely to use more e-tickets ahead of contactless coming to my local station later this year.

 

[Wallsendmag]

LNER switched in 2020/21 while nobody was using Rail very strange travelling around on empty trains rolling out a 21st Century ticket

 

[Jan Mayen]

I wonder what my All Line Rover will be printed on?
And would the Aztec code work the barriers?

 

[Wallsendmag]

I wonder what my All Line Rover will be printed on?
And would the Aztec code work the barriers

PRT and depends on what the programming is on the barriers

 

[Hadders]

I wonder what my All Line Rover will be printed on?
And would the Aztec code work the barriers?

Bog roll. I used one last summer (albeit purchased from LNER).

One potential issue is I hope arrangements are in place to maintain the inter-availability on the London Underground for tickets issued between GN statiins and London Terminals/Finsbury Park/Kings Cross St Pancras/Moorgate.

Currently CCST to London Terminals don’t work the barriers at Kings Cross St Pancras and passengers are ket through manually. Clearly, passengers with barcode tickets must be allowed to enter as well.

 

[Jan Mayen]

PRT and depends on what the programming is on the barriers

Many thanks. I guess I'll find out about barrier acceptance during March then

 

[Haywain]

One potential issue is I hope arrangements are in place to maintain the inter-availability on the London Underground for tickets issued between GN statiins and London Terminals/Finsbury Park/Kings Cross St Pancras/Moorgate.

That will be the interavailability that's been in place without difficulty since LNER started using PRT.

Currently CCST to London Terminals don’t work the barriers at Kings Cross St Pancras and passengers are ket through manually.

So, nothing different with PRT.

 

[yorksrob]

The onward march of cheap flimsy rubbish continues.

 

[Hadders]

That will be the interavailability that's been in place without difficulty since LNER started using PRT.

I hope your right, but with respect to LNER, I suspect very few passengers making use of the inter-availability are buying their tickets from a LNER travel centre.

I’d have thought the majority are being sold by GTR.

 

[Haywain]

I suspect very few passengers making use of the inter-availability are buying their tickets from a LNER travel centre.

Stevenage was still open when LNER introduced PRT, and I'm pretty sure people were using them to transfer to Moorgate.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

These tickets really are horrible. They get creased and crumpled and in poor condition so quickly. You put it in your pocket and it just gets in such bad condition before long

For those of us new to this debate, how does this disadvantage you?

 

[father_jack]

As someone who uses "bog rolls" as you all call it there appears to be different quality/thickness in the rolls despite all coming from the same colour box.

 

[Haywain]

I could be completely making this up, however I believe that all TOCs have pressure to hit targets for percentage of tickets sold being “digital”. In the loosest terms I understand paper roll ticket with an Aztec code meets that specification.

You're not making it up, there are DfT targets for 'smart' ticketing. GTR don't help themselves with this by making it so difficult to buy tickets on their own smartcard!

 

[Hadders]

Stevenage was still open when LNER introduced PRT, and I'm pretty sure people were using them to transfer to Moorgate.

True, but I suspect relatively few tickets were sold to London Terminals, on PRT, and to people who were aware of the inter-availability.

I might be mis-remembering, but I’m pretty certain that at first the (excellent) staff would issue anything on CCST if you asked them nicely.

 

[Wallsendmag]

The onward march of cheap flimsy rubbish continues.

Have you had PRT from a S&B TVM yet? Not so cheap and definately not flimsy

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Feb 2025 ==

True, but I suspect relatively few tickets were sold to London Terminals, on PRT, and to people who were aware of the inter-availability.

I might be mid-remembering, but I’m pretty certain that at first the (excellent) staff would issue anything on CCST if you asked them nicely.

We kept a close eye on what was being issued and how, sad I know but investment had to be justified.

 

[yorksrob]

Have you had PRT from a S&B TVM yet? Not so cheap and definately not flimsy

Fortunately not yet.

If it's "not so cheap" what's the justification.

 

[Meerkat]

For those of us new to this debate, how does this disadvantage you?

I find the bog roll tickets screw up such that they are hard to present one handed at the gates, harder to slip in and out of wallets and pockets, harder to find, and easier to lose (and blow away very easily if you do drop them).
Much harder to keep between your teeth whilst you sort yourself out too!

 

[Haywain]

I find the bog roll tickets screw up such that they are hard to present one handed at the gates, harder to slip in and out of wallets and pockets, harder to find, and easier to lose (and blow away very easily if you do drop them).
Much harder to keep between your teeth whilst you sort yourself out too!

Sounds like you just need to take a little more care of them.

 

[yorksrob]

Sounds like you just need to take a little more care of them.

Or the industry could just stick with a fit for purpose format.

 

[Haywain]

Or the industry could just stick with a fit for purpose format.

I would say that the vast majority who use them find PRT a fit for purpose format, but they are anyway minority who don't buy online.

 

[TUC]

I'm not sure why it's worthy of note for GTR to have started using these tickets. They're just another TOC.

 

[gray1404]

Do the Northern and Avanti machines at Liverpool Lime Street still issue tickets on CCST?

 

[sot]

I was going to create a post about this a week ago but didn't.

Attempted to collect a TOD at the counter and they were totally unable to print due to the new machine. They printed the first reservation on bog roll (simple London Thameslink, routed not underground). Second ticket an advance Avanti west coast ticket - no dice. Was told they couldn't override to print ccst and collect from the tvm instead.

Wasn't the best as I was already in a bit of a rush.

 

[Meerkat]

Sounds like you just need to take a little more care of them.

How would you suggest?

 

[Sonic1234]

I'm not sure why it's worthy of note for GTR to have started using these tickets. They're just another TOC.

Because they're a TOC more resistant to "modern" ticketing. They never refused e-tickets and PRT like Merseyrail and TfL (and SE did at one time), but are half hearted about it.

You find all sorts of anomalies with GTR, return as an e-ticket but a single is paper only. First class is paper only but standard is available as an e-ticket etc.

 

[TUC]

Because they're a TOC more resistant to "modern" ticketing. They never refused e-tickets and PRT like Merseyrail and TfL (and SE did at one time), but are half hearted about it.

You find all sorts of anomalies with GTR, return as an e-ticket but a single is paper only. First class is paper only but standard is available as an e-ticket etc.

Being resistant to modern ticketing is no automatic virtue, is it?